Atherton library plans back to drawing board after voters reject park site

By Bonnie Eslinger

Daily News Staff Writer

Posted:
12/28/2012 07:47:23 PM PST

Updated:
12/28/2012 11:16:24 PM PST

Atherton officials are reconsidering their options for the site of the town's new library after voters resoundingly rejected the Holbrook-Palmer Park location in November, after staff spent half a million dollars and more than two years on preparations.

City Manager George Rodericks told the city council at its meeting last week that rebuilding the library in the area of its existing location and within a planned new town center was the likely alternative.

The passage of Measure F, approved by 69 percent of voters, does not "prohibit the library in other locations, but would prohibit it in the park," Rodericks said.

Moving forward, town staff is recommending that the council disband the separate library and town center committees and perhaps form a new committee to develop a master plan for the library and the town center and work on both projects' design phases, Rodericks said.

Council Member Jim Dobbie expressed concern about the delay created by the change of plans.

"No matter what we do, any new library is going to be years in the making," Dobbie said. "Are we going to make any improvements to the present library?"

Back in 2009, a structural analysis of the library revealed the building did not meet current seismic safety standards and would require earthquake retrofitting.

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In addition, the San Mateo County Library, which operates Atherton's library under a Joint Powers Authority, studied the library's needs and determined the 6,038-square-foot facility did not provide adequate disability acces and that more space was needed for books and other library uses.

Atherton's high property values would help funding for a new library, with nearly $5.6 million collected as of June 2011, according to town documents.

Vice Mayor Jerry Carlson said he wanted to see a master facilities plan that involved all town buildings up for reconstruction and looked at the "size, function and use of each facility." He also suggested that a new committee not be formed right away.

"I think what would make sense is for staff to take a larger role and larger responsibility for the planning process rather than a residents' committee," he said.

Instead, residents could be engaged through a series of workshops and be invited to participate in panel discussions, he said.

The council will formally discuss how the town will proceed with the library and town center planning at its January meeting.

According to a staff memo, the town was in negotiations with an architect for the library project in June when the council decided to put the contentious matter on the Nov. 6 ballot. Residents who opposed the planned location feared that the new library would create traffic and parking problems in the park and take up open space. To date, $489,609 has been spent out of the library fund for planning costs, according to Rodericks.

The day after the Dec. 19 council meeting, Mayor Elizabeth Lewis said the library project was rushed in favor of the park site.

"They spend $489,000 on the library going forward on that," Lewis said. "And what do we have? I think we've all learned a lesson on that. We need to take our time and listen to the people and step back and say, 'What's the best way to build this?'"